I wrote about making risotto in the pressure cooker in the first issue of the Cook’s Gazette, winter 2015.
Risotto can be the elegant first course of a luxurious dinner or it can be a casual meal, quickly prepared with some tasty bits of cheese or meat that are left over in your refrigerator. The key is to use short to medium grained rice, preferable from Italy and to have a strong stock on hand to flavor the rice. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave, or you can form cakes, brush them with butter, and bake in the oven or pan-fry on the top of the stove.
While risotto is a great dish at a dinner party, the problem traditionally has been the time the cook needs to spend in the kitchen at the last minute, constantly stirring. The pressure cooker solves that problem. Also, I think since it pushes the starch to the outside of the grain, it makes a superior risotto.
OK, I’m just going to put this heresy out there… a pressure cooker makes risotto that’s superior to one made with the traditional method.
Basic Risotto made in the pressure cooker
Ingredients
2 tbl olive oil
1 tbl butter
or all olive oil or all butter
½ cup minced onion
½ cup white wine (optional)
1 ½ cups arborio, vialone nano or carnaroli rice
3 ½ to 4 cups liquid (water, broth or some combination)
Fresh peas, or peas that are just defrosted
3 tbl fresh parsley, minced (optional)
¼ cup grated Parmesan or Parmesan curls (optional)
Instructions
Melt the butter and oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Over medium high heat sauté the onion until translucent but not colored. Add the rice and make sure the grains are coated with oil. Add the wine, if using, and let it evaporate. Cover with 3.5 cups of stock or water, lock on the top and turn the heat to high. Timing begins when the gauge on top of the cooker indicates high pressure. At this point immediately reduce the flame. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. If using vialone nano or carnaroli rice, rather than arborio, cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and quick release the remaining pressure by running cold water over the lid. The rice will seem quite soupy at this point. Cook over medium heat, stirring every minute or so, for the next three to five minutes. If the risotto looks dry, add in the last half-cup of liquid. Remember the risotto will continue to thicken as it cools.
Some delicious combinations and additions for fall:
- Assorted mushrooms, mushroom stock, olive oil, truffle salt
- Butternut squash, vegetable stock, sage butter
- Mixed seafood, shrimp stock, taleggio cheese
- Lamb merguez sausage, sweet pepper, saffron scented chicken stock
Sauté seafood, mushroom, or sausage and sweet pepper until nicely browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Use the oil left in the pressure cooker after sautéing the main ingredient to coat the rice. Add the appropriate liquid and cook as described in the basic instructions. After opening the pressure cooker, add back the reserved vegetable, seafood or sausage while giving the risotto its finishing stir. Just before serving add cheese, butter, or other enrichments as desired.